$2.$ Mr$.$ McNeely currently batches orders for processing under the manual order management system. The orders are

batched for daily processing. If Mr$.$ McNeely opts to implement a web$-$based solution, might this affect his current

means of order processing? If so$,$ how?

$3\mathrm{.}3.$ Innovative Technologies Inc. has hired you as a sales representative. You have been asked to call on Fast Stop, a small

convenience store chain with five locations in your region. What benefits of UPC and bar coding applications might you

illustrate to encourage Fast Stop to utilize these technologies to track sales at its retail outlets?

$5.$ Ms$.$ Kathleen Boyd, director of logistics for the Scenic Calendar Company, wishes to evaluate two methods of time series

forecasting. She has collected quarterly calendar sales data from the years $2015$ and $2016.$

a$.$ Use the moving averages technique to find forecasted sales for the third quarter of $2016$ based on actual sales from the

previous three quarters.

b$.$ Use simple exponential smoothing to forecast each quarters sales in $2016,$ given that Ms$.$ Boyd qualitatively

forecasted $900$ calendars for quarter $4,2015.$ Ms$.$ Boyd has assigned an alpha factor of $\mathrm{.}1$ for time series sensitivity$.$

c$.$ Repeat the simple exponential smoothing problem above $($part b$)$ with Ms$.$ Boyd employing an alpha factor of $\mathrm{.}2.$

d$.$ How well do the moving averages and simple exponential smoothing techniques seem to work in Ms$.$ Boyds

situation? In what ways do the techniques appear to fail?

$6.$ By improving his forecast methodology and shortening forecast horizons, Mr$.$ Gregory anticipates cutting the error level

down to $10$ percent. With improved forecasting, Muscle Mans DC managers have indicated that they feel comfortable

with lower inventory levels. Mr$.$ Gregory anticipates monthly inventory carrying cost reductions of $35$ percent.

a$.$ If the forecast system improvement will cost $$1,500$ more per month than the old system, should Mr$.$ Gregory

implement the change?

b$.$ Why might Muscle Mans customers encourage the firm to improve its forecasting capabilities?

$7.$ Mr$.$ Stan Busfield, distribution center manager of Hogan Kitchenwares, must determine when to resupply his stock of

spatulas. The DC experiences a daily demand of $500$ spatulas. The average length of the performance cycle for spatulas

is $21$ days. Mr$.$ Busfield requires that $750$ spatulas be retained as safety stock to deal with demand uncertainty.

What is the reorder point for spatulas?